Google Shopping Policies & Requirements

Everything you need to know about Google Shopping policies to maintain compliance.

This page summarizes Google Shopping policies and requirements to help you maintain compliance during your online business endeavors.

These policies prioritize the safety of customers and compliance with applicable laws. We strictly prohibit any content that could cause harm to customers or negatively impact the advertising ecosystem. This ensures a positive and secure experience for all involved parties. Additionally, Google continuously monitors and updates these policies to adapt to evolving challenges and maintain a high standard of protection.

Shopping Ads Policies

The Shopping ads policies cover four main areas:

  1. Prohibited content: Content that you are not allowed to promote on the Google Network.
  2. Prohibited practices: Things that you cannot do if you want to advertise with us.
  3. Editorial and technical: Quality standards we expect for your ads and website.
  4. Restricted content: Content that you can advertise, but with certain limitations.

To enforce these policies, a combination of Google's AI and human evaluation are used. The AI technology, modeled on human reviewers' decisions, helps protect customers and maintain a safe ad platform. For more complex cases, the Google Merchant Help Center has specially trained experts to review and evaluate the content.

Swift action is taken against content that violates these policies. This may include disapproving violating Shopping ads, temporarily limiting ad impressions for flagged accounts, or suspending accounts for repeated or severe violations.

If any such enforcement actions are materialised due to policy violations, information will be provided on the decision by the enforcer. If one of your Shopping ads is disapproved, you have the option to fix the ad or appeal the decision. You can also appeal an account suspension decision by signing in to your Google Ads account.

Prohibited Content

Counterfeit Goods

This policy restricts the sale or promotion of counterfeit products. These are products that mimic the trademark or logo of another brand in an attempt to pass off as genuine.

Dangerous Products

Safety is a priority and therefore the promotion of any products that can cause harm or injury in any way are not allowed. This includes recreational drugs, weapons, and explosive materials.

Products That Enable Dishonest Behavior

Honesty and fairness is valued, and so these policies do not allow the promotion of products that facilitate dishonest behavior, such as hacking software or fake documents.

Inappropriate Content

These policies strive to provide a respectful and diverse environment for our users. Therefore, restrictions against ads or destinations that display offensive content or promote hatred, discrimination, or violence are in place.

Unsupported Shopping Ads Content

While the aim is to support a wide range of products, there are certain content types that may not be suitable for the desired platforms. The policies do not allow the promotion of such content in Shopping ads and free product listings.

Prohibited Practices

Abuse of the Ad Network

This policy wants to ensure that Shopping ads are useful, relevant, and safe for users. Therefore, it does not allow malicious content, traffic generation-focused sites, or any attempts to gain an unfair advantage or bypass our review processes.

Irresponsible Data Collection and Use

Advertising partners are expected to handle user information with care and respect. Collecting user data for unclear purposes or without appropriate security measures is not allowed.

Misrepresentation

Users are entitled to make informed decisions on ads they see, and so promotions that are misleading or deceiving in any way are prohibited. This includes withholding relevant information or representing products inaccurately.

Disclaimer

Please note that this policy page is strictly for information only and should not be taken as the full or most up to date Google policy information. For further detail, or clarity on the latest details, please visit the Google Merchant Help Center.